Winter Disc Golf

Disc Golf in the winter is not only possible it can also be a lot of fun. A lot of amateur disc golfers tend to give their skills a vacation as soon as the snow falls. This is a BIG mistake! Don’t let your game rest with the winter months. Keep practicing and your game will be even better as soon as the snow melts and the Tournaments running. We will give a few pointers on how to make your winter experience fun and not frustrating.

• Don’t Hurt Yourself!

This is first key to winter disc golf. Normally a disc golfer has their elaborate run up routine. This can be very dangerous in winter conditions. This makes winter disc golf the best time to work on your form. (Check our other blogs for suggestions on form) Perfect form will unlock all the mysteries of disc golf. Forget your run up unless you have a course that shovels and salts their tees. We recommend just stand still and “let ‘er rip”.

• Bright and Flexible disc choice

Winter disc golfing can be hard on your discs. Certain new flexible plastics will allow more accurate play. Older, cheaper plastics will not perform as well in cold conditions. The cold sometimes make the plastics bend and hold the odd shape instead of bouncing back like they do in warm conditions. When playing snow laden courses bright disc color is a must. Unless you want to spend all your time searching for your discs… well… that one is up to you.

Other things to try while discing in winter bliss would be snowshoeing while discing. Snowshoeing is a very popular way to pass time during winter. Go a head a make up some new rules to account for the snow (Add Strokes on to par)… and there’s a new game to do during winter. If snow shoe’s aren’t available; get your winter boots on and hit the tee’s.

Always remember to have a good time and play safe.

Disc Golf 411 Is Back!

After being away for most of the year we are back and strong as ever. We know all of you in the northern states are experiencing winter and it’s hard to get out to the course to practice without losing all of your discs, So this winter we will be aimed mainly the exercises to keep yourself up to par even if you can’t make it to your local course. Due to shoulder injury on the Disc Golf 411 team we will be covering how to avoid injuries such as these. All this and plenty more.

Northern Waters Series #3

The Northern Waters Series #3 Is going to be in Boyne city on Saturday May 19th. Stop in early and register!

A Better Backhand

In disc golf, a backhand shot is where the power is at. A lot of amateurs, ashamed by their lack of accuracy and distance, will avoid the backhand like the plague. This is a very big mistake because of the raw power that can be harnessed by this throw. For an amateur it definitely is a difficult throw to perform correctly every time, but as any aspect of every other sport… nothing will be gained without practice. If you throw your backhand shot and it lands 50 feet to the right and 20 feet in front of you, it obviously needs some work. Now don’t abandon the shot all together because it’s not working right now.

First you’ll want to start by lining up your shot. Try and vision where the disc will fall. When winding up find a run up that feels comfortable to you. Imagine a line going chest level out from your left shoulder to your right. Take the disc and as if you were starting a lawnmower pull it across that line. At the end of the line try and flick the shot out. This will help generate more spin. The more spin you can get the farther your disc will go.

Here are a few shot scenarios:

• Uphill Shots – These are very tricky. You’ll want to aim a little higher than usual. Your disc is not going to catch any loft if you don’t.
• Downhill shots – When throwing downhill, aim at the angle of the hill.This will cause your disc to ride the hill and fly very straight due to the lack of wind slowing it down.
• Flat shots – Aim from 5-15 feet from the ground. If the shot is too high it will slowdown in the air and finish it’s flight patter early giving you less distance.
• Headwind – Throw a heavy disc into the wind. If the wind really bad find a disc that is good for fighting the wind. Some of our favorites are the Innova Sidewinder, and the Innova Teebird.
• Backwind – These shots are great. Basically… just let ‘er rip. The wind will push your disc along. On a straight hole it will go farther than normal, but sometimes on a shorter winding hole you’ll have to be careful and not over shot the hole.

There are many different ways to grip the disc.  A few of our favorites are go as follows; Three to four fingers curled up under the rim of the disc with the thumb on top. When thrown with some force this will help create spin. Another good grip is to hold the edge of the disc firmly in the palm of your hand. Pinch the disc with your middle and ring finger on the underside and your thumb on top. Leave your pointer and pinky out of the way. This is a good grip for a beginner, it helps to create an S Curve. An S Curve can also be created by tilting the wing of the disc (the side opposite the throwing arm) up. This is an anhyzer angle. S Curves are great because they stretch out the flight path over more ground. Instead of flying straight and than fading left, they fly right… level out… and then fade left. It’s a great throw for open fields. Another great grip is with your pointer finger on the rim and the rest curled up underneath. This allows your pointer finger point where you would like the disc to go. Find whatever grip works the best for you and stick with it. Practice your shots over and over.

W e also recommend practicing by playing catch. Get a friend and pretend he is a basket. Toss the disc back and forth. This is some of the best practice you can have because it can be done anywhere.

In Summary:

• Stick with your backhand shot, it will develop in time.
• Line up your shot and take your time.
• Draw an imaginary line from your left to right shoulder… about chest level.
• Pull the shot as if you were starting a lawn mower, ripping it from one shoulder the other.
• Find a comfortable run up.
• Find a comfortable way to grip your disc.
• Practice. With practice you will build the strength in your wrist allowing your shot to fly farther and be more accurate.

Five tips to turn a beginner’s bogey into a birdie.

(According to Disc Golf 411):

1. Disc Choice -
   For a beginning disc golfer disc choice is very critical. The best choice is a stable disc. Too over or understable might result in bad habits such as overcompensating your throw more left or right to correct the flight path of the disc. Remember that overstable discs fall to the left for RHBH throwers (right hand back hand). Understable discs don’t necessarily fall to the right… they tend turn more (ie. when thrown straight the disc will pull hard right). Look for a semi neutral rating on a disc. Some good beginner discs are; Discraft Cyclone, Discraft XS, Innova Teebird, Innova Eagle. Don’t worry about fancy plastics or colors although bright colors are easier to find in woods play. Another thing to be weary of is marketing ploy’s such as, “Mega super long fast ultra range driver” sometimes these labels are correct… but don’t worry about what your disc says. Try and stay with the brand’s base plastic (Innova’s Dx, Discraft’s D), it’s a tad bit easier to grip and is very easy to get used to. Also look for lighter discs. Lighter discs sometimes will go farther than heavier discs for players with less strength. The number one thing to remember with disc choice is get one disc and stick with it. Once you learn how to control that disc, move on. Check out our disc picks/reviews page for some ideas of good discs.
2. Understanding the game -
   Knowledge is power, especially in disc golf. If you can understand why your drive went hard right, or your putt landed short, this will help craft your game into an art. Other posts on this page can give you explanations for certain situations. And if there are any specific questions comment here and we will answer your question to the best of our ability. The basics: If you are throwing into the wind, throw a heavier disc about 10-15 ft. above ground (depending on your situation). If you are throwing with the wind at your back the disc will fly further because the wind is pushing it. Also take notice of your terrain. If the ground is flat, up hill, or downhill. If the ground is flat the disc can be thrown fairly level and it will still take it’s normal flight path. If it is up hill.. you’ll have to aim a little higher than normal. If down hill, throw with the angle of the hill; this will cause the disc to fly straight down hill instead of hitting the wind and turning over.
   Also understand that every disc has it’s own flight pattern. If you are using a disc companies base brand plastic it will have to be seasoned. Disc’s like that will get their flight path from lots of play. Beating the tar out of them will help. Now don’t go and take a baseball bat to your disc, just throw it like you would normally throw it. It will hit the ground and other obstacles and that works just as well. Newer plastics have all types of cool features. Some are grippy and some are slick. Some take almost no damage. These are great but often more over/under stable than the base line plastics.
3. Form & Technique -
   Correct form is the number one key to unlocking your best shots in disc golf. When Driving, try and imagine a line chest level. You will want to keep the disc flat and pull it from one shoulder to the next as if you were starting a lawnmower. If you correctly perform this your disc will go relatively far and stay low. Those are the basics for a back hand throw. Footing is also important. Try running up the tee box a few times. What is comfortable? Two steps? Four? Five? Get a comfortable run up and then throw your disc. *Building momentum will also achieve you more distance. One of the best ways to learn technique is playing with other players, players that are better than you are. By watching them throw you can a learn a lot. Also try different grips on the disc. You can do the power grip (most common for drives) all four fingers are curled under the rim and the thumb is on top. Hold this with great pressure. An excellent throw will actually rip from your fingers… you will hear a snapping sound coming from your hand. The more rip (spin) the more distance. One of our favorite putting grips is the fan grip, where your index finger is on the rim and the rest are fanned out on the bottom. This works because it stabilizes the disc for a straight putt. There are many different variations of holding a disc. Some work better for others, find what works for you. Note: Comfort is important.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice… -
   As with any sport, the more you play the better you get. The phrase, “Practice makes perfect” comes to mind. When a disc golfer first starts out the game can be a little frustrating. Just keep at it and in no time you’re game will have improved to where the fun factor takes hold. Which leads to the next tip.
5. Enjoy yourself! -
   Having fun is a must! What’s the point if you don’t? Get out there bomb some deep drives and sink some sick putts!

Better Performance.

We believe very strongly in preparing yourself for each and every game of disc golf. Stretching, eating healthy, and practicing are three essential ways of the disc golfer. Begin with stretching, stretch all of your body parts you will be using to play. Loosen up before every round physically and mentally.

Sometimes one will fail to drive down a tight fairway because of doubt. Confidence is key. This is a very mental game as well of physical. Never doubt yourself, stay optimistic.

Learn your techniques by practicing. Get a feel for the discs you use. Try new ways of gripping the disc, approaching the tee box, release methods, and footing. Try new things and study. The more you practice the better you will get… and play with better players. We’ve found that one of the best ways to improve your game is to play with great golfers. One can learn technique and many other rules of the game by doing this.

Eat healthy and take care of your body. If you’re body is in peak shape you will be better at everything you do. Here is the link to a natural cures blog Natural Cures (The Blog). It has information on everything from general health to aphrodisiacs to herbal energy, and some great recipes.

All of these things will help your game. Remember to eat healthy, stretch, and practice. Always stay confident, and remember to keep the game fun. That is what it is all about… getting out and having a good time. Remember… there is a little champion in us all.

Gateway Illusion

There is a new review on the Gateway Illusion in the “Reviews” page. Check it out.

Attention Boyne City Disc Golfers!

April 19th at Avalanche Reserve there will be a city meeting regarding the disc golf course at Avalanche. It starts at 7:00 P.M. Swing by and support the sport.

Post comments on here for subjects that we should bring up at this meeting.

• Concrete tee’s
• More  Trash  Disposal
• New Hole Signs
• etc….

Soon to Review

Coming soon reviews on the brand new Innova Kite, and most of the Gateway disc line.

Welcome!

Welcome to Disc Golf 411. The new blog based around Disc Golf Information. Find the Hot Spots for golfing, reviews on the hottest new products and everything else disc golf.